Tyler Junior College coach Mike Marquis (middle) talks to his team before they take the floor. (Phil Hicks/Staff)

Just like the officials, the Tyler Junior College Apaches were late arriving Friday night at Wagstaff Gymnasium.

After falling behind 5-0, the Apaches got going and started rolling.

Behind the scoring of Jaqwan McCauley and Kwinton Hinston, and team rebounding, No. 17 TJC stayed unbeaten with a resounding 91-74 victory over talented Lee College in a Region XIV basketball game.

Actually the Apaches (12-0, 4-0 Region XIV) were on time and ready to go at the scheduled tipoff of 6 p.m. However, two officials were late arriving from the Metroplex and the game finally got underway at 7:16 p.m.

Weather delayed the referees.

McCauley led the Apaches with 26 points, including 14 of 14 from the free-throw line. Right behind was Hinson with 22 points, including 4 of 7 from 3-point land.

Davante Cooper (13 points) and TiAndre Jackson (12) were also in double figures for TJC.

Cooper had a double-double with 11 rebounds, while Eden Ewing had nine boards.

The Apaches out-rebounded the Rebels by 11, 36-25, and snapped Lee’s nine-game winning streak.

LaDarrius Chester and Andre Edwards led Lee (10-5, 3-1) with 18 points apiece.

“Our goal was to control the boards,” TJC coach Mike Marquis said. “They (Rebels) are such a very talented team.”

Marquis also complimented the play of point guard Brian Warren, who led the show as Desmond Balentine missed his second straight game. Balentine, who was out of his walking boot, dressed for the game but did not play.

Marquis also pointed out the inside play of Ewing.

Jackson, a freshman from Marshall, gave the Apaches a spark in the second half with back-to-back 3s, of which the first was a four-point play.

ESPN Outside the Lines was on hand filming the game as they are following the Rebels’ Tony Farmer, a 6-7 sophomore wing from near Cleveland.

Farmer, a former top 100 basketball prospect, is getting a second chance with the Baytown school.

In August of 2012, Garfield Heights (Ohio) High School basketball star Farmer was sentenced to three years in prison after he pled guilty to kidnapping, felonious assault, robbery and intimidating a victim stemming from an altercation the previous April.

After being released from prison in June 2015 he signed with Lincoln College of Illinois. However, Lincoln denied him admission and he turned to Lee College.

Farmer, who is averaging 15.9 points per game, was held to six points by TJC, all from the free throw line.

SMOKE SIGNALS: TJC had six slam dunks in the game – two by McCauley and Cooper and once each by Will Brooks and Warren. … The TJC Apache Ladies return to the court on Saturday, hosting rival Kilgore College at Wagstaff Gymnasium. Tipoff is set for 2 p.m. … In other men’s results on Friday: Angelina defeated Navarro, 65-56; Trinity Valley downed Jacksonville, 108-88; San Jacinto topped Bossier Parish, 99-78; Paris edged Coastal Bend, 88-84; and Lamar State-Port Arthur tripped up Panola, 97-95. The Blinn at Kilgore game was postponed.

—

Region XIV Conference

No. 17 Tyler Junior College 91,

Lee College 74

LEE-Julian Powell, 4; Andre Pierce, 4; Kajon Brown, 8; LaDarrius Chester, 18; J’Von McCormick, 0; Roc Johnson, 3; JaVonte Cooper, 6; Kayode Fakomi, 3; Malik Anderson, 2; Leston Gordon, 2; Andre Edwards, 18; Tony Farmer, 6.

TYLER-Will Brooks, 2; Jaqwan McCauley, 26; Brian Warren, 4; Kwinton Hinson, 22; Davante Cooper, 13; TiAndre Jackson, 12; Eden Ewing, 8; Trenton Sandifer, 2; Tajuan Agee, 2.

THREE POINT GOALS-LC: Brown, Chester, Johnson. TJC: Hinson (4), Jackson (3), Ewing.

HALFTIME SCORE-Tyler 43-37.

RECORDS-Lee 10-5 (3-1), Tyler 12-0 (4-0).

NEXT UP- Trinity Valley at Lee, 7 p.m. Monday; Tyler at Blinn, 7 p.m. Monday.